Murray Ó Laoire Architects has taken a major award in the National Planning Awards 2008. Organised by the Irish Planning Institute, the awards were presented on Thursday the 28th of February by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Mr John Gormley TD.
The Urban Design Award was won by Murray Ó Laoire Architects for our work on the Athlone Town Centre. The judges said the project had taken:
“an assemblage of underused backland plots at a strategic location, close to the historic core of Athlone town, and transformed them into a new urban quarter of exceptional architectural quality and coherence.”
Speaking at the presentation Mr. Andrew Hind, President of the Irish Planning Institute, said the National Planning Awards were “a celebration of all that is best in Irish planning” and praised the creativity, ingenuity and quality of the entries.
The winning Murray Ó Laoire Architects designed Athlone Town Centre project is the single biggest regeneration project of its kind undertaken in Ireland outside of the main urban centres, and includes a shopping centre, with over 60 retail and food outlets opening off glazed streets and a covered square, which opened in November 2007, a residential component comprising 148 apartments, duplexes and townhouses, and a 12 story four star Sheraton Hotel and Health Spa which is on target to open in April 2008.
Speaking at the presentation, Mr Andrew Hind, President, Irish Planning Institute, said the National Planning Awards were
“a celebration of all that is best in Irish planning.”
The record number of entries was an indication of how highly the work of the planning profession is valued.
Mr Hind praised the creativity, ingenuity and quality of the entries and pointed out that none of the projects would have achieved their desired outcome without critical support from Government Ministers, City and County Managers, County Councillors, Government officials along with the public and developers.
Mr Tony Keohane, Chief Executive, Tesco Ireland, said:
“Tesco Ireland's success has been built on sustainability. It is good to have this opportunity to recognise the achievements of so many projects based on longterm sustainability."
This is further recognition of MÓLA’s Planning and Urban Design skills. We have previously been awarded Certificates of Merit in the Urban Design and Planning Achievement Award categories for Carlow Town Master Plan and Killarney Town Urban Master Plan in the National Planning Awards 2002 and 2005 respectively.
Related News Item:
- The MÓLA designed Sheraton Athlone Hotel recently opened for guests, with some of its facilities becoming available on a phased basis... (more)
- The Irish national newspapers and RTÉ Television reported on the opening of the new Athlone Town Centre, the single biggest regeneration project of its kind undertaken in Ireland... (more)